Ingram, Saints run up 47-10 win over porous Bills

By JOHN WAWROW -

11/12/17 4:23 PM

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Mark Ingram scored a career-best three touchdowns and the New Orleans Saints won their seventh straight game by plowing through a porous Buffalo Bills defense in a 47-10 rout on Sunday.

Alvin Kamara also had a 3-yard touchdown rushing as the Saints blew the game open by scoring five times on their first six possessions, not including a one-play series to close the first half. Ingram finished with 131 yards rushing by scoring twice from 3 yards , and another on a 1-yard plunge.

The Saints finished with 298 yards rushing and 32 first downs.

Their defense was just as dominating in limiting Buffalo to 198 yards, and 10 first downs. And five of those first downs came on Buffalo’s meaningless final drive that ended with backup quarterback Nathan Peterman hitting Nick O’Leary on a 7-yard touchdown pass.

New Orleans set a franchise record by scoring six touchdowns rushing, and it marked the most allowed by Buffalo in team history.

Even Saints quarterback Drew Brees got involved in the run of rushing touchdowns by scrambling in from 6 yards to put New Orleans up 37-3 in the final minute of the third quarter. Trey Edmunds capped the scoring with a 41-yard touchdown run with 3:04 left.

The Saints never punted, with the only thing to stop them was tight end Josh Hill losing a fumble at the Buffalo 9 in the first quarter.

The Saints (7-2) haven’t lost since dropping their first two games of the season to match their longest winning streak since closing the 2011 season 8-0. New Orleans has already matched its win total from each of the past three seasons.

The Bills (5-4) simply unraveled in losing their second straight and while dropping to 4-1 at home. The most notable cheer came with 4:53 remaining when Peterman replaced Tyrod Taylor and then immediately hit Deonte Thompson for a 10-yard reception along the right sideline.

After Stephen Hauschka capped a nine-play, 57-yard opening drive with a 37-yard field goal, the Bills never crossed midfield over their next eight possessions.

Taylor finished 9 of 19 for 56 yards and an interception. LeSean MCcoy was bottled up in finishing with 49 yards rushing and another 11 receiving.

As for the Bills defense, it followed up a poor-tackling effort in allowing 194 yards rushing and three touchdowns rushing in a 34-21 loss at the New York Jets on Nov. 2.

Buffalo allowed a season-worst 482 yards.

PICK BUT NO 6

Saints DT Sheldon Rankins nearly scored on an interception return only to be pushed out of bounds at the Bills 3 on Buffalo’s opening drive of the second half.

Taylor’s pass over the middle hit tight end Charles Clay in the chest and bounced directly into Rankins’ hands. Ingram scored his third TD on the next play from scrimmage.

BENJAMIN DEBUT

Kelvin Benjamin, like much of the rest of the Bills offense, was rendered invisible in making his debut after being acquired in a trade with Carolina on Oct. 31. He finished with three catches for a team-best 42 yards.

INJURIES

Saints: Backup running back Daniel Lasco had feelings in his extremities after sustaining a spine injury while tackling Buffalo’s Brandon Tate on a kickoff return six minutes into the second quarter.

Lasco moved his leg and briefly raised his arm as he was loaded into an ambulance and transported to a Buffalo-area hospital.

Bills: DE Jerry Hughes did not return after hurting his shin late in the second quarter.

Bills: TE Charles Clay returned after missing three games with a left knee injury. LT Cordy Glenn (left ankle/foot) and WR Zay Jones (left ankle/knee) did not play after both were hurt in a 34-21 loss at the Jets on Nov. 2.

UP NEXT

Saints: Host Washington on Nov. 19.

Bills: Play next two on road starting at Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 19.

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